(CNN) - As he gears up to hit the campaign trail on behalf of Barack Obama later this week, former President Bill Clinton is the star of a new television ad - for John McCain.
Watch: New McCain ad features Bill Clinton
The Arizona senator's campaign is highlighting Clinton's remarks in an interview with ABC News last week during which he appeared to lay some of the blame of the current economic crisis on congressional Democrats.
"I think the responsibility that the Democrats have may rest more in resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was president to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac," Clinton said in the ABC News interview that is highlighted in the new McCain ad.
The announcer of the one-minute spot called "Rein" cites McCain's call for more regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago and said "Democrats blocked the reforms."
"Loans soared. Then, the bubble burst. And, taxpayers are on the hook for billions. Bill Clinton knows who is responsible," the announcer also says.
But in the same interview with ABC, Clinton also said it is important not to assign blame at this time for the current state of the economy: "We are where we are. I think the most important thing is we got two candidates for president saying 'lets try to minimize the partisan differences,'" he said. "We will have plenty of time later to look at who caused this and what mistakes were made."
Those comments did not make it into the McCain ad.
The ad comes days after some Democrats grumbled the former president appeared to be overly praiseworthy of the Arizona senator as the final stretch of the heated presidential campaign gets under way. In the same interview with ABC News, Clinton defended McCain's call to possibly push back the first debate, saying it was a pledge made in "good faith." He also later said the Arizona senator had taken the lead in his party when it comes to climate change.
From CNN Politics
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I think Bill's narcissism makes him subconciously sabotage both Hillary and Obama (maybe he wants to see a Democrat President top him)?
McCain... Can you say anything worth anything about ISSUES... without always dragging around baggage?? Do you have any ideas on any issues that are truely your own and voice those??
All I ever see is bashing.
WOW!!! is all i have to say
you almost have to feel sorry for the McCain camp....the level of desperation and his erratic behavior, stooping to lies and any desperate attempt to discredit Obama...McCain is like a train crash.
Whatever McCain –
You have already dug your hole too deap –
Nothing you do or say will be strong enough to pull-you-out-of-your-own hole you have put yourself in – That is what you get for playing dirty politics.
*Obama and Biden – Americas True Mavericks*
}
Bam-bam is nothing more than a socialist community organizer and Bill Clinton know it.
Obama stays on top of the news and the blogs so he can come out with the perfect statement after each event.
This man is a liar and says everything that voters want to hear. He will do nothing for this country.
Chris Dodd,Nancy Nit,Harry Reid,John Kerry and obama need to be shot for treason.
Zero respect for Clinton, he wants to keep building his legacy... well, he's doing it and it's not pretty.
McCain's whole fight so far has been based on what the Clintons have said this election...why does this surprise anyone? The only thing I am surprised about so far is that McSame didn't pick Hillary as his VP.
This really irks me...
No surprise here! The Clintons have much in common with the Bush's don't be fooled.
McCain is obviouslt scrambling for anything and everything he can to throw at Obama becasue he's got nothing else left but to rip him apart!
Is this the kind of character you want in a President?- McCain is showing his angry, vivious side... Is this the President you want dealing with foreign leaders? Has he shown any good judgment? – he's chosen Palin, He's supported the war for the wrong reasons and he has no expperience with the economy as he himself admitted!
Mccain/Palin- Go away- you're far too deep to get yourself out of this one even with an ad using clinton.
Sue in Colorado says:
Since when is it better to have a candidate with a cute personality who can throw a good zinger (written by a speech writer) better then having the best, smartest candidate this country can provide?
Exactly. Why did the democrats install Obama and swiftboat the EVER more qualified Hillary Clinton? That was a disgusting travesty of justice- using the race card to eliminate the best candidate of the party.
How come the rest of the comments Bill made was not included in the ad. The repugs know it's nearing the end and they need everything including creating a wedge between democrats which did not work and will not work. We democrats admire and have a ton of respect for Bill. This is a new era and all this hate will not work. We are past that.
Wonder what Bill thinks now?
Sue in Colorado says:
Since when is it better to have a candidate with a cute personality who can throw a good zinger (written by a speech writer) better then having the best, smartest candidate this country can provide?
Exactly. That is what we think about installing Obama.
Why did the democrats install Obama and swiftboat the EVER more qualified Hillary Clinton?
Whatever McCain –
You have already dug your hole too deap
Nothing you do or say will be strong enough to pull-you-out-of-your-own hole you have put yourself in – That is what you get for playing dirty politics.
*Obama and Biden – Americas True Mavericks*
}
It's not even close to working, Mr. McCain. Your credibility is zero. Two weeks ago as the meltdown started, you stated that the economy is "fundamentally sound." You were wrong. Last week, you "suspended" your campaign to "rush back to Washington to help forge a deal." You neither suspended your campaign, nor did you rush back to Washington. The deal that was forged was completed before you got there (maybe you shouldn't have stopped to talk to Katie Couric). Then you tried to take credit for helping get the deal done. Then it failed. Then, despite chaos in Washington, you said you felt "enough progress has been made" that you could attend the debate. You lost the debate. You then accused Obama of "phoning it in". Even though you did not return to Washington, and kept track of negotiations on the second deal ON THE PHONE. The second deal was agreed to yesterday morning in principle. You immediately took credit for helping with the deal. The deal failed. You blamed it in the Democrats, even though it was the Republicans who threw childish temper tantrums and voted "No" on the final deal because of Pelosi's speech. Now, in your on-going twists of logic, you're trying to make it sound like Clinton is on your side. Today, you actually had the complete lack of touch with reality to try to equate Palin with Clinton and Reagan. Obviously, Mr. McCain, you are not only NOT presidential, you have completely lost your mind. You and Palin are the worst things to happen to the Republican Party since Nixon and his crew. You should be absolutely ashamed of yourself.
This man is a joke. Still bitter. Obama has done well without him. This is the same man who betrayed Hillary and was almost impeached.
America hasn't forgotten that.
gee who didn't see this coming?
Sue in Colorado says:
Since when is it better to have a candidate with a cute personality who can throw a good zinger (written by a speech writer) better then having the best, smartest candidate this country can provide?
Exactly. That is how Obama got here. Why not Palin?
DOUBLE YAWN
The deregulator himself making this claim? Maybe the readers should pull up the bill in question and educate themselves as to the real reason the Dems voted down the bill... What a McTool...
oh..... so NOW.... reublicans care about what Bill has to say....
Get over it, Bill. Your wife will never be President. The Clinton era is over.
Whatever McCain –
You have already dug your hole too deep – [correction . . . finally]
>
Nothing you do or say will be strong enough to pull-you-out-of-your-own hole you have put yourself in – That is what you get for playing dirty politics.
*Obama and Biden – Americas True Mavericks*
}
Well, Bill Clinton is at it again. How you can promote a man who in public called your daughter "ugly" is beyond me. What kind of a parent would support a man who said such a thing about their child? Bill Clinton was successful in ruining his wife's campaign and now is out to sabotage Obama's. He is just upset the party is coming together so he wants to play the spoiler. I am so glad this man will NEVER be a prominent figure again.
Go away Bill Clinton.